Atlético Madrid’s emphatic 4-0 win over FC Barcelona in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final was overshadowed by a touchline moment involving Diego Simeone and Lamine Yamal that quickly became a talking point.
As Atlético dominated Thursday night’s encounter, the Argentinian coach became the focus of post-match discussion following a gesture directed toward the Barcelona youngster.
The incident occurred shortly after Atlético extended their advantage, with Simeone filmed on the sidelines making a hand signal toward Yamal that appeared to reference the scoreline.
The moment came after Atlético’s third goal, which further tilted the contest in the home side’s favour.
Broadcast footage showed Simeone approaching the touchline area nearest Yamal and raising three fingers, a gesture widely interpreted as highlighting the margin between the teams at that stage of the match.
The commanding result itself placed Atlético in a strong position heading into the return leg, reflecting their clinical performance across the pitch.
Barcelona, meanwhile, struggled to contain the pressure throughout the contest, allowing Atlético to build momentum and capitalise on key moments.
However, it was Simeone’s sideline action that generated significant reaction beyond the final whistle.
Spanish media outlets quickly circulated clips of the exchange, prompting debate over the tone and intent of the coach’s behaviour in the heat of competition.
While the match result firmly established Atlético’s advantage in the semi-final tie, the episode involving Simeone and Yamal added an additional narrative to an already high-profile fixture.
Attention now turns to how the rivalry continues to unfold when the sides meet again, with both the sporting context and the emotional edge of the encounter likely to remain under scrutiny.
🚨🚨| Diego Simeone appeared to show three fingers to Lamine Yamal after Atletico Madrid went 3-0 up.
[@elchiringuitotv] pic.twitter.com/m4xp2GurE3
— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) February 12, 2026
